Improvement in tire-tighteners



. J. FOX.

Tire-Tightener. No. 210,195. Patented Nov.'26,187 8".

Mflsseps/ New UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN FOX, OF MONROE, IOWA.

IMPROVEMENT INTIRE-TIGHTENERSQ Specification forming part of LettersPatent N0. 210,195, dated November'26, 1878; application filed October21, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN FOX, of Monroe,

- in the county of Jasper and State of Iowa,

have invented an Improved Tire-Tightener, of which the following is aspecification:

The object of my invention is toprovide a simple, strong, and durabletire-tightene'r that is complete in itself, and thatcan be readilyadjusted'and applied to wheels of various sizes,

and easily operated by any person of ordinary mechanical skill totighten the tire by raising the felly and placing washers on the tenonsof the spokes.

Heretofore various similar devices havebeen used to accomplish theresults contemplated;

' and my improvement consists in the manner of constructing, arranging,and combining a spoke-clamping device, a loop-formed pawl and forkedlever, and a bifurcated sliding and the sections joined together withrivets or screw-bolts.

b b are enlargements at the bottom end of the post A, designed toproduce an enlarged base and surface to engage the hub of the wheel uponwhich it is intended to rest, and also to form a bearing against whichto rest the inner end of a spoke when clamped to the spoke. O is arack-bar that slides up and down in a longitudinal mortise and bearingformed in the post A. I) is a bifurcated block that has a mortisecorresponding in size and form with the top end of the rock-bar 0, uponwhich it slides up and down toengage the felly of the wheel. The mortisein this sliding block is slightly inclined to cause it to bind againstthe rack-bar, and to remain clamped thereto when subjected totheeccentric pressure caused by the resistance of the felly resting uponits extended and bifurcated end. 1 2 3 represent a series of notchesformed in the edge of the top end of the rack-bar, to engage and supportthe sliding block at various points of elevation as required to suitwheels of various sizes. Its descent on the bar is limited andrestricted by the shoulder d or its equivalent.

Thelower end of the rack-bar'has a series of ratchetteeth, 5 6 7, thatare exposed through the openingf formed in the side of the'post A. Apawl, g, pivoted to the post, engages this rack or ratchet face of thebar 0, and limits its descent in the supporting-post. h h is thebifurcated end of a lever, m, of the first order. n is the pivot andfulcrum by means of which the lever m is connected with the post A. r isa loop-form pawl, hinged to the ends h of the lever m in such a mannerthat it will, by force of gravitation, engage the rack 5 6 7 of the bar0 and lift it when power is applied to the long arm of the lever m. s isthe curved end of an adjustable bolt, t,passed through suitable bearingsformed in or attached to the post A, near its base, in such a mannerthat it can engage a spoke, and by means of a thumb-nut,w, be operatedto clamp the post A rigidly to the spoke in the manner shown, and tothereby prevent the spoke from being loosened in the hub when pressureis applied to lift the felly'on the outer end of the spoke.

In the practical operation of my invention my jack is placed on the topof the hub of a wheel, and the rack-bar O and its sliding block Dadjusted so as to allow the projecting and bifurcated end of the blockto rest against the top end of a spoke and against the'inner and underside of the wheel-felly. By means of the clamping device s tw thecomplete jack is then rigidly fixed to the wheel in such a manner thatthe force applied to the lever m will be augmented and exerted inopposite directions. The loop-form pawl '1", depending from the shortarm of the lever and engaging the rack of the bar O, will lift it upwardin the post A, and the same action of the lever will cause the combinedpost and spoke to press downward 0n the immovable central hub of thewheel. The elongation of the jack must therefore lift the Wheel-fellyresting on the top of the spoke to which the jack is rigidly clamped.When the felly is thus lifted an open washer, made of leather or othersuit-, able material, can be readily placed upon the shoulder and tenonat the top of the spoke to lengthen the. spoke, and to thereby retainthe felly pressed out tight against the tire. This operation can besuccessively performed on each spoke, or as many of them as will benec-.

bination with the post A, having the opening f and the pawl g, and thesliding rack-bar O, substantially as shown and described, for thepurpose specified.

2. The improved tire-tightener, composed of the post A b I), having theopening f, pawl g,

and clamping device 8 two, the lever m h 7:,

having the pendent pawl r, and the adjustable rack-bar (J, carrying thesliding block 1), substantially as shown and described, to be operatedin the manner specified.

JOHN FOX.

Witnesses:

D. W. SMoUsE, M. 1)., J. L. Fox.

